Hard Work Cafe

Dont expect a see and be seen atmosphere at Hardwork. Come with a few friends dressed casual and have a few beers while watching the band and couples dancing. A nice diversion from the typical dive, what truly sets it apart is the live music, generally a solid cover band singing disco/​funk and oldies. As the name of the bar expresses, this is a blue collar bar with a good time workin for the weekend heart and soul.

So if your looking for someplace to go on Friday night close to downtown San Jose and not blow a lot of cash HW is the place. Located in an industrial area of Alden road in a building (in a building which re mind’s me of my 6Th grade portable classroom «But my dog did eat my homework Mrs. Hoskins»). Seriously the place doesn’t look like much from the outside, or the inside for that matter. It has great live music, the best band’s play on Friday’s and the place GTE’s crowded! Partly because it’s small, but they pack em in anyway. Cover is 5 buck’s after 9:30. Be nice to George the bouncer. So if your looking for old school R & B some cumbia’s ranchera’s and the like this might be a place for you to check out. Dress casual I think some people actually come from work to the HW… Basically a cool neighborhood dive. Oop’s forgot to mention the wooden dance floor how’s that for dive!!!

you just never know when you’ll end up at an unironic dive bar in residential san jose. the average age was twice mine, but we were all feeling the funk cover band. the dance floor was basically a wedding reception. will i regret not dancing with that cowboy?
and yes, the cover band (vintage) takes requests. their rendition of r. kelly’s «step in the name of love» was outstanding.
bonus feature: one side of the bar is outside. machines apparently circulate air to make sure smoke doesn’t drift inside.